Carpet-stiffener



(No Modell) LINCOLN. CARPET sTI'FFBN-ER. Y No. 456,002. Patentedvdufly. .14, ,1891r nu l umnnlumlmmimm "11mmhm||||||lpn l lllllllllllllllllii" THF. ohms PeTEgs een, ma mno msnmcmm n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARSHALL LINCOLN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARPET-STIFFEN ER.

Application led March 3l, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL LINCOLN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spreading or Stiffening Devices for Floor Rugs and Mats, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable anyperson skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciication, in which- Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a portion of a floor-rug provided with myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the stiffeningplates detached, and Figs. 3 and 4 like views showing modiiications in the construction of the plate.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

Floor mats or rugs constructed of knitted woven fabrics or oil-cloth and similar material which are disposed loosely on the floors of buildings frequently roll or turn up at the corners from constant use. My invention is designed especially to overcome this and other objections, and in carrying it out I make use of means which will be readily nnderstood by all conversant'with such matters from the following explanation.

In the drawings, A represents the rug, and B the stiffening-plate. The rug may be constructed of any suitable material. On the under face thereof, or the surface which is in engagement with the floor, I secure stiffeningplates B. These plates are preferably constructed of a single strip of thin spring metal in the form shown in Fig. 2, wherein the body CZ of the strip is rectangular and provided at one end with a triangular head g. Said body and head are provided with holes or openings h for sewing or otherwise securing the stiffening-plateto the body of the rug'. The head g is fastened in the corner t' of the rug, as shown l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,002, dated-July 14, 1891.

Serial No. 387,12'7. (No model.)

in Fig. l, the body d of the plate projecting inward toward the center of the rug. The plates as thus disposed are concealed under the rug when in use on thev floor, and, being of exceedingly thin material, readily embed in said rug and are prevented from scratching the floor. -When the corner of the mator rug is accidentally struck by the foot, the plate B bends or gives freely, and when released from contact with the footl springs back into a horizontal position, carrying the cornerof the rug with lit in a manner which will be readily understood Without a more eX-v plicit description.

I do not confine myself to constructing the spreading or stiifening plate of spring metal, as a band of wood or other rigid material may be employed if deemed desirable; but I prefer to use the metallic stiffening, as itenables the rugs to be rolled or folded fortransporta.- tion. Nor do I confine myself to providing the spreader with ahead g, as a plain rectangular band may be made to serve the purpose. In the form shown in Fig. 3 the head g is out away at m to lighten the spreader, and in Fig. 4 the head is shown provided with braces p, connecting it centrally with the body d.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is` I l. A spreading or stiffening device for floormats, comprising a narrow band of spring metal, provided at one end with a head secured at a corner of the mat, the body of the band projecting inward toward the center thereof, substantially as described. 4

i 2. The mat, in combination with the iexible band B, provided with the head g and attaching-openings h, said head being secured at the corner of the mat and the bodyof the band projecting inwardly toward the center thereof, substantially as described.

MARSHALL LINCOLN. Witnesses: e

O. M. SHAW, K. DUREEE, 

